Policemen to lose their potbellies, soon

Hard to find staff in mandatory parades
There are rarely any policemen seen on the parade grounds, despite it being mandatory. Hence, their physical health is neglected. Also, I don’t think that obesity clinics are the solution to the problem. We need to make our policemen exercise and lose weight. Also, we need to look into the reasons causing it. Corruption is one of the main reasons which leads to other bad habits like drinking liquor and partying. Therefore, we need to put a stop on ‘free’ privileges given to our force. If we look at the State Reserve Police Force, we can hardly find any unfit personnel, but that’s not the case with Mumbai police which is ridden by corruption and bribery.    
YP Singh, former IPS officer

Fitness has bearing on performance
The obesity clinic is a good initiative by the Mumbai police. It is quite visible today that the police are overweight and this shows in their fitness level. Any professional’s performance depends upon how fit the individual is physically and mentally. Police jobs require a lot of stamina and strength to combat crime. Moreover, these days, apart from physical strength it is important that policemen maintain their composure. They should be calm in situations like civil disturbances and communal riots. Although everyday they don’t have to run behind the criminals, but they need to be ready for any situation all the time. Yoga and exercise should be made mandatory for all policemen.     
Anjali Sahu, fitness consultant

Sensitise them about importance of health
A policeman with a large paunch is a common sight in the city. Therefore, we need to make some changes to keep them fit — not only physically but also mentally. They must be chosen very carefully for their assignment, since the safety of the citizens lies in their hands. They must also be sensitised about why it is important to take care of their health. Adequate healthcare facilities must be provided to them and it must be made mandatory that they put it to proper use.    
Mridula Vijayraghavan, student

Reduce stress levels for healthier life
Good health is a basic criterion for any professional. According to some statistics, the number of policemen in the force is less and basically they are short-staffed. So they are obviously overburdened and as a result it creates stress. There are many responsibilities on their mind and they have odd working hours, to add to their woes. They are expected to stay on their toes during holidays, hence eating healthy doesn’t figure as a top priority for them. Although their work profile stipulates that they should be fit.
Sahil Mehta, businessman

At least now they’ll be more conscious
It will indeed be a great move to see physically-fit policemen in the city. Of course there is a connection between remaining fit and healthy and performance. So now policemen will be more conscious about their weight. This may help them improve their performance, but more importantly they will be in a better frame of mind and feel confident, if they are in a better shape. Also a few months ago, I heard that policemen were being trained for yoga as well, which I think is a good initiative.    
Mandar Lad, corporate assistant

Promotions must be pegged to fitness
Yes, the health of police force has been neglected till now and it’s been conveniently attributed to their hectic lifestyle. But this shouldn’t act as an excuse. They need to have daily exercises, like they have for army and paramilitary personnel. This exercise regimen should be a sustained basis. Their promotions can be pegged to their fitness, so they won’t take it for granted. A healthier police force will not contribute in making the city a safe place, it will also benefit them personally.     
Arpana Thakur, store manager